"To encourage preschool (3-5 year old) children to eat more fruits and vegetables, what might be a healthy dip for veggies to counteract some of the bitterness that naturally children avoid?"

To get this answered I checked in with Yo Pearl's newest guest blogger and our very own Resident Nutrition Expert, Dr. Melissa Wdowik, Director of the Kendall Anderson Nutrition Center, Colorado State University.

We all know vegetables are good for us, but there is no denying that some are just bitter! To make matters worse, almost 1/3 of children are super tasters, meaning they really are more sensitive to the off taste. The bitterness usually means the vegetable is high in antioxidants and other great nutrients, so it is worth the effort to figure out how to get your kids to eat them. And parents, don't forget to model good behavior by eating your vegetables, too.

One tip for vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower is to cook them slightly; this reduces their sharpness but just watch out, because overcooking them will make them even more bitter. Allow them to retain a crunch, and serve warm or chilled with a dip. Try these easy suggestions for all your preschooler's vegetables!

EASY SIDE DIPS

Soy sauce

Olive oil mixed with lemon, garlic, salt and pepper

Peanut butter mixed with a little milk to make it thinner

Plain Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon from a seasoning packet of ranch mix.